


I Must Have Done Something Good

by romeoandjulietyouwish



Series: Lis Writes Vox Machina [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Brother-Sister Relationships, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Family Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27212779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish
Summary: Percy hasn’t realized how accustomed to solitude he has become. Growing up with a big family he was rarely ever alone, but now they’re gone and he’s alone. Well, he’s got Vox Machina, but it’s not the same. They don’t have the same casual closeness that a family does....Or Percy reflects on his family and his relationship with Keyleth.
Relationships: Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III & Keyleth
Series: Lis Writes Vox Machina [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026871
Comments: 5
Kudos: 65





	I Must Have Done Something Good

**Author's Note:**

> So idk when this takes place. Probably sometime before the Briarwood arc but also after, idk just go with it lol. 
> 
> ALSO: I'm only up to episode 82 so please don't spoil anything for me :D Thank you!
> 
> (yes the title is sound of music, don't judge me)

Percy hasn’t realized how accustomed to solitude he has become. Growing up with a big family he was rarely ever alone, but now they’re gone and he’s alone. Well, he’s got Vox Machina, but it’s not the same. They don’t have the same casual closeness that a family does. 

Most nights he retreats down to his workshop. There’s always something to work on and something to keep his hands occupied with. Back in Whitestone, his workshop was the one place his parents wouldn’t bother him, and more often than not one of his siblings would be with him. But here in Greyskull Keep, he does his work in silence, in solitude. 

Percy is hunched over his gun, trying to fix it after the most recent battle when he hears a quiet knock on his door, “Just a second!” He calls.

Percy finishes the motion he was doing and pushes up his goggles with the back of his hand. Before he moves to open the door, he instinctively turns back to his table to make sure anything sharp or explosive is put away, but he stops himself. There are no siblings here he needs to take care of, no one he needs to worry about hurting themselves in his workshop. He doesn’t have siblings anymore, he doesn’t need to do that. 

A sharp dart of pain hits him in the chest, just as it always does when he thinks about them. But someone is waiting for him so he walks over to the door and pulls it open. 

On the other side is Keyleth, her arms wrapped around herself unsurely. Her circlet is gone, her hair is loosely braided on her shoulder and she wears a plain dress that looks to be made of soft cotton. 

She looks at him a bit nervously and says, “Um, hi. Uh...I’m sorry, I just…” She struggles to make sense of her thoughts and she quickly shakes her head, “I probably shouldn’t be here. I should-”

“Keyleth.” Percy puts a hand out to stop her. “It’s fine. What do you need?” He expects her to say that she needs him to make something whether for her or another member of their group.

She tightens her arms around herself, “Some company? If that’s okay, I know, I mean you probably have things to do and to work on and you’re super busy and I don’t want to interrupt-”

Something softens in his chest at the request. He shakes his head and steps aside to let her inside, “Come on in.” She quickly darts past him inside and he closes the door behind her. As he sits back down at his worktable, Keyleth quietly pulls up a stool and sits on the other side, watching his hands as he works. 

He can’t help but think of his siblings. They would find solace in his workshop whether it be hiding from a tutor or their parents or seeking the warmth of the hearth or just for some company. But Keyleth isn’t his sister, Percy forces himself to remember. She’s just a friend, a veritable stranger. But another part of Percy’s mind says that she came to him for company, she wants to be by him.

He works for a few seconds, proving to her that she’s not bothering him, before he asks, “Is everything okay?”

Keyleth adjusts how she’s sitting hugging her knees to her chest, “Yeah, I was just lonely.” He hums in acknowledgment. “I figured that you were probably alone down here. I’m sorry if I’m distracting you from working.” 

He shakes his head, “You’re not.” He sees her smile and relaxes a little bit. He doesn’t say anything more but keeps working. He can feel Keyleth’s curious eyes on him and he smiles a little at the familiar feeling. “It’s kind of nice not to be alone.”

“We’re not meant to be alone,” Keyleth tells him softly. “That’s what they used to say back home.” 

“You’re people sound very wise.” Keyleth nods. Percy clears his throat. “You know, you’re welcome down here anytime when you’re lonely.” 

“Really?” She grins at him when he nods. “Thank you, Percy!” 

After that night, Percy starts leaving his workshop door open for her, just a crack, but enough for her to know that she’s welcome. She comes down a few times a week, happy to watch him work and simply be in his company. 

It happens three more times before Percy invests in an armchair. He gets a big red chair with soft fabric and a comfortable cushion and a warm blanket over the back. Percy pushes the chair by the fireplace, the warmest spot in their keep. 

Some nights she’ll sneak into his workshop and curl on the chair, watching him from there. Other times, she wants to know what he’s working on and he’ll give her something small to keep her hands occupied, just like he used to do with his siblings. He finds that he enjoys her company quite a bit and looks forward to when she finds her way down to him. 

One night in the middle of winter, he hears his workshop door open and then shut. He smiles to himself as Keyleth pads in, he socked feet quiet against the floor. She offers him a quiet greeting before sitting down on the chair, tucking her legs under her. Keyleth looks into the fire, blinking her eyes sleepily. 

The image of Keyleth in her pajamas all curled up in front of the fire yanks a memory to the front of his mind. He thinks of Whitney. She, more than any of his other siblings, would find her way into his workshop. She would climb into his lap and just watch his hands, completely entranced by their movement, and more often than not she would end up fast asleep against his chest. 

He remembers very clearly on a cold night she came into his workshop with her blanket wrapped tight around her shoulders, feet in several pairs of socks. Whitney complained about how freezing it was upstairs and how his workshop was the only warm room in the castle. He smiled at her and helped her set up a makeshift bed on the floor in front of the hearth.

He kept working for another hour or two before he realized how late it had gotten and that Whitney was fast asleep. He smiled softly and scooped up his little sister in his arms to carry her to bed. He remembers how happy she looked in her sleep, liking nothing more than being close to him. 

But now she’s gone. So are the rest of his brothers and sisters. She’s dead because he wasn’t strong enough to protect her. They’re all dead and there’s no one left to tease him or to hug when he’s feeling down or just to share company with. 

“Percy?”

He blinks rapidly and looks up. Keyleth is sitting beside him on his workbench, her brow furrowed in concern. She holds one of his hands in hers, gently running her thumb across his knuckles. His chest feels tight as he blinks he feels water on his cheeks. Perfect. He’s crying. Percy quickly turns away from her and wipes his cheeks with the clean parts of his sleeves. “Sorry about that,” he replies. 

“Percy.” Keyleth puts a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” 

He nods, “I’m fine. I was just thinking about...something.” 

She tips her head to the side, “What?” 

Percy takes a long breath and drags a hand down his face, “My brothers and sisters. You, uh, you remind me of them. A lot.”

“Percy…” She looks him over for a second before hugging him tightly. He tenses for a second before relaxing into her arms and returning the hug. He presses his forehead into her shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut as he gives her every hug he wishes he could give to Cassandra and Whitney and Oliver and Julius and Vesper and Ludwig. 

After a minute he pulls back and looks at Keyleth. “I’m sorry, this is a lot to put on you.” She shakes her head. “Does it bother you that I think of you like my sister?”

She thinks, “I’ve never had any siblings, but I can’t imagine having a better brother.” Percy’s eyes well with tears and he pulls Keyleth into another hug. She laughs happily in his ear and hugs him back just as tight. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed!
> 
> Tumblr- @romeoandjulietyouwish


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